LA - Lacey Fletcher 36, GRAPHIC, disabled, found dead, on couch for years, Jan'22 *Parents arrested*

[Dotta]

"Clay and Sheila Fletcher, both 66,
dramatically switched at the last minute to admitting their guilt over the horrific death
of 36-year-old daughter Lacey Ellen
in a case that shocked the nation.

They stood nervously before District Judge Kathryn ‘Betsy’ Jones at 9.30am precisely,
where they agreed to withdraw their previous not guilty pleas to second-degree murder and
formally agreed to plead guilty to manslaughter.

East Feliciana District Attorney Sam D’Aquilla asked Judge Jones to take the couple into custody and not allow them freedom before the March 20 sentencing.

‘We say they should be sent to jail immediately,’
he told the hearing.

However, the judge ruled the couple should be allowed to continue their bond
until February 20,
‘when they must surrender themselves'."

Parents of woman who was found fused to a sofa face 40 years in prison

Lacey Fletcher, 36, died on a sofa from which she hadn't moved for 12 years. Her parents Clay and Sheila Fletcher, both 66, pleaded no contest to manslaughter on Monday for her 2022 death.

www-dailymail-co-uk.cdn.ampproject.org

 

[ilovewings]

"Clay and Sheila Fletcher, both 66,
dramatically switched at the last minute to admitting their guilt over the horrific death
of 36-year-old daughter Lacey Ellen
in a case that shocked the nation.

They stood nervously before District Judge Kathryn ‘Betsy’ Jones at 9.30am precisely,
where they agreed to withdraw their previous not guilty pleas to second-degree murder and
formally agreed to plead guilty to manslaughter.

East Feliciana District Attorney Sam D’Aquilla asked Judge Jones to take the couple into custody and not allow them freedom before the March 20 sentencing.

‘We say they should be sent to jail immediately,’
he told the hearing.

However, the judge ruled the couple should be allowed to continue their bond
until February 20,
‘when they must surrender themselves'."

View attachment 482069

Parents of woman who was found fused to a sofa face 40 years in prison

Lacey Fletcher, 36, died on a sofa from which she hadn't moved for 12 years. Her parents Clay and Sheila Fletcher, both 66, pleaded no contest to manslaughter on Monday for her 2022 death.

www-dailymail-co-uk.cdn.ampproject.org

Thanks judge-- I have words for you I can't say here!!! Our courts so often offer no justice- they should have been carted off to jail to await their sentence!

 

[iamnotagolem]

I hope this isn't out of line, but I have always wondered if at first Lacey was confined to the couch against her will until she no longer could move then the restraints were moved. It's just so hard to imagine this happy, smiling girl suddenly sit down on the couch and never get up again.

 

[MsMarple]

I’m watching the report on News Nation right now.

Video of the parents; heads held high, well dressed, well nourished. Prominent members of the community, supported by fellow church members.

It makes my stomach churn.

 

[Dotta]

I’m watching the report on News Nation right now.

Video of the parents; heads held high, well dressed, well nourished. Prominent members of the community, supported by fellow church members.

It makes my stomach churn.

The man is usually seen with his head hanging down.
The woman however, is always holding her head high.

That is my impression.

JMO

 

[dotr]

Feb 8, 2024 #Banfield
Dr. Ewell Bickham, the coroner who examined Lacey Fletcher after her body was found "melted" into a sofa, joins NewsNation's "Banfield" exclusively to discuss details from the scene.

 

[MsMarple]

The man is usually seen with his head hanging down.
The woman however, is always holding her head high.

That is my impression.

JMO

Maybe the father hung his head after they were caught and arrested but he sure looked happy before. Both look like they haven’t a care in the world in the pics from the article I linked below. I wonder who was taking care of Lacey while they were enjoying their outings?

My impression is that he’s feeling a whole lot of sorry for himself now. No remorse from either. IMO

Pictured: Parents of neglected daughter found dead and fused to family sofa

A round-up of everything we know about the parents accused of letting their severely autistic daughter to 'rot away'.

metro.co.uk

 

[ilovewings]

Take-aways from this article:
who are Sheila and Clay Fletcher:
they were considered pillars of the community

mom worked in local legislation on the Slaughter's Board of Alderman for 4 years before she quit

she was also an assistant to the City Prosecutor in the City of Zachary
Before this she worked as a police and court clerk in the City of Baker

Clay was` an officer of the non profit Baton Rouge Civil War Roundtable
an organization that provides an atmosphere to educate and foster an
appreciation for the sacrifices made by all during the civil war.

Appalled neighbors of the family said they had no idea Shelia and Clay
even had a daughter.

Now prepare to be even more disgusted than you were before:

After they were charged and the news broke about this horror
they said in a statement that they did not want to relive the pain of
losing a child through the media.

Their attorney had the unmitigated gall to say this
" They have been through a lot of heartache over the years.
Anyone who had lost a child knows what it is like"
WHAT? lost a child???? Oh my -these people are far worse than imaginable!!!!
The parents claimed that between 2011 and 2012 Lacey did not want to leave the house ( like that explains why she rotted on the couch for at least 12 years?)-- they go on to say that Lacey was able to communicate
with them and never complained.

( more to follow)

 

[ilovewings]

From reading this article it seems they charged them with manslaughter because 2nd degree involves proving intent - although district Attorney Sam D'Aquilla said: "did the Fletchers want to kill her? I want to say yeah, they wanted to kill her",but proving it might be difficult.

( from my perspective I think they were ashamed of her and tried to pretend she didn't exist- and really resented her, which is why some neighbors didn't even know they had a daughter.)

Lacey was apparently diagnosed with severe autism and social anxiety
(from my perspective her parents were very very selfish and narcissistic
and did not want to deal with these diagnoses- it would interfere with their social life and the picture-perfect facade they put forth for public consumption. Perhaps they felt demeaned by having a daughter with autism and other problems. The issue of whether she had "locked in syndrome" is questionable- Dr. Bickham has stated that was not an accurate diagnosis. Dr. Bickham also stated the last time Lacey saw a doctor was at age 16- just after her first year of high school when
the family decided she should be home-schooled.

( translate home schooled into ignoring, abusing and letting her rot on the couch- ignoring her autism and social anxiety) -- Dr. Bickham believes Lacey was left on the couch she died in for a terribly long period of time, at least 12 years.

 

[Lyanna]

Maybe the father hung his head after they were caught and arrested but he sure looked happy before. Both look like they haven’t a care in the world in the pics from the article I linked below. I wonder who was taking care of Lacey while they were enjoying their outings?

My impression is that he’s feeling a whole lot of sorry for himself now. No remorse from either. IMO

View attachment 482090

Pictured: Parents of neglected daughter found dead and fused to family sofa

A round-up of everything we know about the parents accused of letting their severely autistic daughter to 'rot away'.

metro.co.uk

Think we know that NO ONE took care of Lacey. JMOO
They probably left her with sandwiches or something else equally unsubstantial, personally believe that they would have walked out the front door, locked it and would have left her with nothing to eat or drink at all, while they lived a good life, full of happiness, nourishment, hobbies, friends etc
I can not express my anger or disgust adequately enough at how Lacey was left to rot, how she was treated, how she was mistreated and failed on so many levels.
I can't tell you how sad it makes me when I think of her in that state, existing in a hole on a sofa. Heartbreaking doesn't describe it.

She was a living, breathing, beautiful young woman - her life could have and should have been amazing. But it wasn't. Because of them, and they get to plea down what they've done. Another criminal act right there.
MOO, IMO, JMO

(Rant over) x

 

[ilovewings]

Think we know that NO ONE took care of Lacey. JMOO
They probably left her with sandwiches or something else equally unsubstantial, personally believe that they would have walked out the front door, locked it and would have left her with nothing to eat or drink at all, while they lived a good life, full of happiness, nourishment, hobbies, friends etc
I can not express my anger or disgust adequately enough at how Lacey was left to rot, how she was treated, how she was mistreated and failed on so many levels.
I can't tell you how sad it makes me when I think of her in that state, existing in a hole on a sofa. Heartbreaking doesn't describe it.

She was a living, breathing, beautiful young woman - her life could have and should have been amazing. But it wasn't. Because of them, and they get to plea down what they've done. Another criminal act right there.
MOO, IMO, JMO

(Rant over) x

I agree with everything you said-- I cant think of words adequate enough to describe
What was done to this beautiful child--as if it isnt horrible enough what her parents
Did to her , our justice system has already let her down, starting with allowing her scummy
Parents to take a plea to manslaughter, and the judge allowing said parents to be free on bond
While awaiting sentencing in spite of the DA asking the judge to jail the parents while
Awaiting sentencing--- I think we should prepare for a sentence far below 40 years.

 

[Dotta]

"Coroner in case of Lacey Fletcher, who was found dead, fused to a couch, says she was ​

'literally tortured and rotted in her own body' - ​

and is convinced her parents were NOT living in the house:

'Nobody could stand the stench'.​

'When I walked in,
the house smelled of a stench of, it smelled like a sewer, or septic tank and also
a smell of death.

I've never smelled that in my life'.

He continued:
'I've dealt with decomposed bodies.
I've dealt with all sorts of death, degradation, whatever,
never experienced this in all of my career.

I've never seen a homicide like this.
I have never seen an individual, a human being, literally tortured and allowed to die while she is alive.

I've never seen that my life.
I've seen decomposed bodies of someone that drowns and you find the body a week later.

That's one thing and they're decomposed.
Lacey did not decompose.
She rotted in her own body,
in that hole in that sewer,
in the couch.

The only thing I saw the small bag of hard candy,
and that was it.
That's the only nourishment she probably had.

I'll just be not trying to be too graphic,
but in her stomach,
she had the yellow foam from the sofa, and feces.
So you take it from there'."

Lacey Fletcher coroner says was 'tortured and rotted in her own body'

Dr. Ewell Bickham had been responsible for examining the body of Fletcher, right, after she was found fused to the couch in the home she shared with her parents.

www-dailymail-co-uk.cdn.ampproject.org

 

[arielilane]

Coroner wants graphic photos of woman ‘melted’ to sofa shown​

Warning: this content may be disturbing for some viewers.

• After daughter's body found 'melted' in sofa, parents plead 'no contest'
• Former coroner: 'I've never seen a homicide like this'
• Next court hearing for parents is March 20

Coroner wants graphic photos of woman ‘melted’ to sofa shown

Dr. Ewell Bickham, the coroner who examined Lacey Fletcher after her body was found “melted” into a sofa, wants the graphic photos of Fletcher shown to the public.

www.newsnationnow.com

Former coroner Bickham told NewsNation’s Ashleigh Banfield he struggled to process what he witnessed.

 

[Luna20]

"Coroner in case of Lacey Fletcher, who was found dead, fused to a couch, says she was ​

'literally tortured and rotted in her own body' - ​

and is convinced her parents were NOT living in the house:

'Nobody could stand the stench'.​

'When I walked in,
the house smelled of a stench of, it smelled like a sewer, or septic tank and also
a smell of death.

I've never smelled that in my life'.

He continued:
'I've dealt with decomposed bodies.
I've dealt with all sorts of death, degradation, whatever,
never experienced this in all of my career.

I've never seen a homicide like this.
I have never seen an individual, a human being, literally tortured and allowed to die while she is alive.

I've never seen that my life.
I've seen decomposed bodies of someone that drowns and you find the body a week later.

That's one thing and they're decomposed.
Lacey did not decompose.
She rotted in her own body,
in that hole in that sewer,
in the couch.

The only thing I saw the small bag of hard candy,
and that was it.
That's the only nourishment she probably had.

I'll just be not trying to be too graphic,
but in her stomach,
she had the yellow foam from the sofa, and feces.
So you take it from there'."

Lacey Fletcher coroner says was 'tortured and rotted in her own body'

Dr. Ewell Bickham had been responsible for examining the body of Fletcher, right, after she was found fused to the couch in the home she shared with her parents.

www-dailymail-co-uk.cdn.ampproject.org

It’s absolutely shocking. I’ve never heard or seen anything like this.

The starvation and physical torture of Lacey is diabolical. What I’ve thought even more about since I saw it last night was the emotional torture.

No one told her they loved her, no one hugged her, no one gave her gifts, no one talked to her, no one took her shopping, no one took her to get a hair cut or nails done.

I can’t imagine how she must have been calling out for help from them. ‘Mom can you help me, do you hear me’? She was totally rejected in every way.

The photos should be shared with the public on every platform. This needs to be seen.

 

[Marysmith]

Coroner wants graphic photos of woman ‘melted’ to sofa shown​

Warning: this content may be disturbing for some viewers.

• After daughter's body found 'melted' in sofa, parents plead 'no contest'
• Former coroner: 'I've never seen a homicide like this'
• Next court hearing for parents is March 20

Coroner wants graphic photos of woman ‘melted’ to sofa shown

Dr. Ewell Bickham, the coroner who examined Lacey Fletcher after her body was found “melted” into a sofa, wants the graphic photos of Fletcher shown to the public.

www.newsnationnow.com

Former coroner Bickham told NewsNation’s Ashleigh Banfield he struggled to process what he witnessed.

I’m glad he’s being so vocal and hope he will talk at the sentencing.

 

[Luna20]

wow...embedding these images in the thread in the event that the video ever gets taken down.

Spoiler: lacey lying on the couch

View attachment 482054

Spoiler: lacey on couch, unclothed but blurred

View attachment 482055

Spoiler: external exam, dorsal

View attachment 482056

I thank the coroner for releasing those images, it gives a better idea of how she has 'inside' the couch hole (the couch is a lot bigger than I thought), her level of emaciation (its hard to tell but in the last photo does she have lanugo?), how matted her hair was, the fusion?? of her legs in the frog-leg position (im sure they tried to break rigor and they couldn't, it looks like its stuck like that?), and an idea about her buttock sores, even though theyre blurred.

would like that doctor to look at these and say again "her parents loved her to death" smh

Her legs were like that, no atrophy. Fused together like frog legs.

The pain level she experienced was beyond comprehension.

 

[Marysmith]

Her legs were like that, no atrophy. Fused together like frog legs.

The pain level she experienced was beyond comprehension.

Absolutely. I hope she was so delirious at the end she didn’t know what was happening…
This is just so hard to believe!

 

[charminglane]

The parents should be in solitary with pieces of the couch for company.

 

[Lyanna]

"Coroner in case of Lacey Fletcher, who was found dead, fused to a couch, says she was ​

'literally tortured and rotted in her own body' - ​

and is convinced her parents were NOT living in the house:

'Nobody could stand the stench'.​

'When I walked in,
the house smelled of a stench of, it smelled like a sewer, or septic tank and also
a smell of death.

I've never smelled that in my life'.

He continued:
'I've dealt with decomposed bodies.
I've dealt with all sorts of death, degradation, whatever,
never experienced this in all of my career.

I've never seen a homicide like this.
I have never seen an individual, a human being, literally tortured and allowed to die while she is alive.

I've never seen that my life.
I've seen decomposed bodies of someone that drowns and you find the body a week later.

That's one thing and they're decomposed.
Lacey did not decompose.
She rotted in her own body,
in that hole in that sewer,
in the couch.

The only thing I saw the small bag of hard candy,
and that was it.
That's the only nourishment she probably had.

I'll just be not trying to be too graphic,
but in her stomach,
she had the yellow foam from the sofa, and feces.
So you take it from there'."

Lacey Fletcher coroner says was 'tortured and rotted in her own body'

Dr. Ewell Bickham had been responsible for examining the body of Fletcher, right, after she was found fused to the couch in the home she shared with her parents.

www-dailymail-co-uk.cdn.ampproject.org

That poor man. How do you move past something like that? Process that? Can't imagine how horrific it must have been for those people that were called there.
Pleased he's speaking up for Lacey.

jmo

 

[Lyanna]

I agree with everything you said-- I cant think of words adequate enough to describe
What was done to this beautiful child--as if it isnt horrible enough what her parents
Did to her , our justice system has already let her down, starting with allowing her scummy
Parents to take a plea to manslaughter, and the judge allowing said parents to be free on bond
While awaiting sentencing in spite of the DA asking the judge to jail the parents while
Awaiting sentencing--- I think we should prepare for a sentence far below 40 years.

Agree, believe its very likely they'll get less than 40 years.
When I read they're allowed to be free on bond, first thing that crossed my mind is whats the liklihood we will be reading about a double suicide. Genuinely concerned that they won't serve a day of whatever sentence they get at all.

Moo